As bizzare as this might seem, I have just read an article which was published in the US about equine hearing. The article mentions and seems to advocate the use of 'Equine Ear Plugs' which apparently are available from tacks shops but easily made by owners using cotton wads!
The reason for the use of these is to help reduce a horses reactivity to stimuli around them by blocking out the majority of the noise.
Ethical issues aside, it is quite dangerous for humans to place cotton buds into their ears but at least we can judge if the ear buds are a problem, but how easy must it be for equines to suffer huge problems and discomfort with their ears if people start stuffing them with cotton buds?
Ethically, I have a huge problem with dulling my horses senses in this way and it seems to me another act of domination rather than true understanding and working in partnership with the horse. If my horse spooks at anything, I try to look at it as he could have just saved my life - I'd rather listen to what my horse is telling me than rely only on my dimmed senses to read the world.
If anyone wants to read the article it is at
www.equisearch.com/train/behavprobs/eqhearing933/
Mx
This message has been edited by CrunchieBoy on Oct 30, 2003 12:23 PM
Would agree - wouldn't want to use them in an everyday situation - although if I knew they would not cause discomfort I would be tempted to give them a go on Bonfire Night (or Bonfire Week as it seems to be these days)...
Hate seeing my mare so upset - usually give her ACP, and flower remedies..
Unfortunately this practice seems to be quite common particularly at high levels of competition, I think when you see horses wearing those fly-fringes that don't seem to come down low enough to do any good, very that horse will have its ears plugged. Yet another practice that never seems to be questioned! Where do we start!